Arsenal Technical High School

Indianapolis school built on land formerly used for Civil War era munitions arsenal

Apr. 22, 2013 9:47 AM

Arsenal Technical High School. / Adriane Jaeckle / The Star

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During the Civil War, Gov. Oliver P. Morton established a state arsenal in Indianapolis to supply munitions to Indiana regiments.

When the arsenal closed in 1903, the city of Indianapolis purchased the land and established a trade school called the Winona Technical Institute. Financial problems forced the school to close in 1909, but a few years later, crowding at the city's two high schools at the time -- Shortridge and Manual -- prompted the opening of a new high school.

Arsenal Technical School opened Sept. 12, 1912, with about 190 students. Enrollment peaked at about 7,000 in the 1930s, when Tech was one of the largest high schools in the country.